A collection of short stories set in the Gakuen Babysitters-verse centering mostly on Hayato and Ryuuichi. I'll be changing the rating as I go on just in case I end up posting smut on this. Heh.

For all the Hayato/Ryuuichi fangirls over at the forums.

(read in 3/4 format)

Confession

(Hayato/Ryuuichi)

Usaida-san had fallen asleep again, along with the kids, for naptime as Kashima Ryuuichi busied himself in tidying up the daycare room. He lifted his eyes, checking the clock on the wall.

He had a few more minutes before he needed to hurry back to class so he continued to rearrange the picture books that the children had managed to scatter around. He only glanced back up when the familiar sound of the door sliding open reached him above the gentle snores of Kotarou and the others.

"Hey, figured you'd still be here."

"Oh, uh, yeah. Just a minute."

Although Kamitani Hayato's height and slim athletic build was what most people noticed first about the stoic boy, it was his eyes that drew in Ryuu's attention as always.

Sharp and unreadable, the intimidating boy's eyes looked almost completely black but Ryuu knew for a fact, having stood close enough to feel the other's breath more than once before, that they were a dark brown under a certain light.

His dark eyes were set in a face Ryuu could only call handsome, the other's skin pale, even after spending time under the sun during baseball practice, topped with a head of short messy black hair.

Ryuu smiled up at the taller boy, unable to help it. He knew he was blushing a bit.

The strange tingly feeling he felt whenever he saw his friend was starting up again. He ignored it as usual.

Inomata had brought in several baked goods earlier and he had been forced to eat a couple under her watchful indignant glare. Really, it was easier to attribute the strange fluttering in his belly to indigestion.

"You done?"

"Yeah."

They walked side by side through the quiet corridors of the large private school. Ryuu let his mind wander, going over the things he would be needing for the next class and activities he had planned out for the children during the week.

Spring break was coming up in a few weeks and finals were getting closer so he wouldn't have much free time to plan by then. He was in the middle of thinking up an activity that could be held outdoors before Hayato spoke, derailing his train of thought.

"You free later?"

"Yes, after the children have been picked up. Why were you asking?"

He glanced up at the taller boy, curious.

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What is it about?"

"Just-"

Whatever Hayato said then was cut-off when the class bell rang, signaling the end of the break.

"Later" the other boy murmured as he hurried off to their classroom, Ryuu watching him out of curiosity before he turned he followed quickly. He'd think about it later.

Class passed dully and most of Ryuu's classmates had fallen asleep, the teacher barely noticing as he continued to scribble on the board.

Ryuu let himself daydream, his mind wandering back to Hayato. It wasn't that his best friend had been acting strange really. It was just that Ryuu's mind never failed to find an excuse to think about his first friend in the academy of late and it was starting to get weird.

He'd tried to broach the topic with Usaida-san but the older man had just laughed and congratulated Ryuu on his first love.

'First love. Ridiculous.' Ryuu thought.

He had been unable to stop from flushing red the entire day and the President had ordered him to stay in bed, thinking he'd gotten sick again.

Not that he was averse to the idea of having a relationship with another boy. His parents had been open-minded about those kind of things. It was just that it was Hayato they were talking about here.

Hayato, the guy almost everyone found intimidating, the first friend his age Ryuu had made in the school. Though usually one not given to talking much, he was blunt and honest in his opinion and Ryuu valued his view on matters greatly.

He couldn't think about those kind of things about his closest friend, especially when Hayato showed no signs of being inclined to matters about 'love' at all.

When class finally finished, he headed straight for the Daycare room, waiting patiently as the teachers came to pick their children up, one by one. Surprisingly, Kamitani-sensei was the one who arrived to fetch Taka.

"Oh, Kamitani-sensei, you're taking Taka-kun home with you? I thought Haya-er-Kamitani-kun was going to drop by."

"Oh, he'll be coming along soon after club activities. Don't worry, I won't want to bother you with an audience, especially one as noisy as Taka."

He scratched at his head, wondering at Kamitani-sensei's words and the suspicious knowing wink she gave him before leaving.

He felt something tug at his pant leg, glancing down to see Kotarou gazing up at him. He stooped low to pick his baby brother up.

"Well, I guess we should go wait for Hayato outside then."

It was ridiculous to blush just for uttering Kamitani's first name but Ryuuichi couldn't help it. Kamitani had insisted on Ryuuichi calling him by his first name.

"Just call me Hayato already. We're familiar with each other anyway."

"Wh-what?" he sputtered out, knowing full well he wouldn't be able to say the taller boy's name properly without butchering it with his stuttering.

"Ryuu, you're turning red."

"You-what are you saying?!"

He didn't need to know he was embarassing himself. Still, Kamita-no-Hayato calling him by his nickname had his stomach doing strange flipflops.

"Get used to it. The kids call you 'Ryuu' and 'Ryuuichi' is too much of a mouthful."

After explaining, the taller boy had just walked away, leaving a beet red Ryuuichi behind him.

"You-Ha-hayato-kun! Wait up!"

Upon hearing his name, the dark haired boy snapped his attention straight back to Ryuuichi. The smaller boy squirmed under the intense dark gaze. Relieved when Hayato finally looked away, muttering something about leaving out the honorific.

'Did Kamita-er-Hayato just blush? No, I don't think so. I must be imagining things.' wondered Ryuuichi as he jogged to keep up with the taller boy.

Lost in the memory, he didn't notice the object of his thoughts approach him before the dark haired boy uttered his usual 'Hey.'

"Ah, Hayato, sorry I didn't notice you. Just woolgathering."

"..."

Ryuuichi followed wordlessly as Hayato lead them outside onto the school grounds, the taller boy glancing surreptitiously at the calm Kotarou in Ryuuichi's arms. They picked up Hayato's bike, walking side by side towards the exit.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"..."

Ryuuichi contemplated his companion curiously. Was it him or was Hayato looking just a bit flustered? Maybe it was the weather. The air was crisp and a tad bit cold for late spring air.

"You...you don't know?"

"Know what?"

Hayato paused, his hands still on the bike's handles, the two-wheel standing between them both. The taller boy regarded him coolly, as if searching for an answer that could only be found in Ryuu's eyes and expression.

The redhead looked away, confused as to the strange feeling in his belly.

Why was he feeling embarrassed all of a sudden? Then he noticed the other's hold on the bike handles, large beautiful hands gripping the handle bars so tight, the other's knuckles stood out in relief.

He hadn't been mistaken. Kamitani Hayato was flustered or nervous about something.

He looked back up, only to be met with an gaze so intense, it took his breath away for some reason. It took him a moment before his mind could finally command his tongue to say something, noticing how his throat had gone dry all of a sudden.

"Ha-hayato, what is it?"

"..."

They stood for a while longer, and for the life of him, Ryuuichi could not understand why he couldn't look away even when he wanted to, as if he knew on a subconscious level that he needed to return Hayato's gaze no matter what.

He barely noticed Kotarou watching them both, looking up at his older brother before turning to regard Taka's older brother.

Then Hayato spoke and for some reason, as if someone had pressed a slow-motion button on the world, Ryuuichi stood in mesmerized silence as Hayato's lips moved and what came out, he couldn't understand at first, a buzzing sound ringing in his ears, as if blocking out reality.

"Sorry, what?" he stammered out almost immediately.

His mind barely keeping up with his stupid mouth while his heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. He hoped he wasn't having a stroke or anything. He was too young to die and who would take care of Kotarou?

Hayato eyed him, his lips pressed into a tight line. Lips. Wow, when did the thought of feeling those lips against Ryuuichi's become so appealing?

The disturbing thought was nagging at the back of his mind and seriously, his brain had yet to process what the hell was going on.

The dark-haired teen turned and continued walking as if he hadn't just confessed to Ryuuichi. Right. He confessed.

Ryuuichi huffed, forcing his legs to go faster while clutching Kotarou against his chest. He had clapped one hand over Kotarou's ear while he pressed his baby brother's other cheek to him. He fervently hoped Kotarou didn't hear him cuss.

"What?!"

Hayato's hurt and irritated tone made Ryuuichi stumble to a surprised halt a few feet away from the taller boy.

"You...you like me?"

"..."

For what seemed like an eternity, dark eyes turned to gaze at him once again.

"I do."

"Oh."

"..."

A whole minute passed before Hayato started walking away again.

"Hayato! Will you just wait for a second!"

Ryuuichi jogged up to the other boy's still for, not missing Hayato sigh, as if impatient.

"You-you can't just tell people you like them and walk away! You have to wait for their reply!"

He couldn't help himself from scolding. It was almost second nature with them.

Hayato didn't reply, only raising an eyebrow at the smaller boy.

"And?"

"What do you mean 'and'?"

"Your reply."

"What?"

The dark-haired teen sighed again, as if he was talking to a particularly slow child. Ryuuichi couldn't really blame him.

"Your reply. What is it?"

"Oh, er, I-I-I li-like you too." he stammered out.

He knew his face must have looked as red as his hair but he forced himself to glance up, blushing furiously, to see what Hayato thought of his reply. He blinked in surprise as he took in Hayato's own surprised expression, eyebrows high and mouth slightly open.

"You do?"

"W-well, yes!" Oh god, he didn't even know why he was acting like a flustered Inomata.

"Like a friend?"

"Yes, of course like a friend, and m-maybe even more."

Oh god, this time he was the one confessing, and although he'd sputtered out his reply without thinking, he knew it wasn't anything else but the truth. Denial was no longer an option.

"Only 'maybe'?"

Ryuuichi gaped, he gaped, looking on in shock as Hayato, who was just a moment ago just his bestfriend and now possibly more, smirked down at him.

Hayato, the stoic and emotionless looking guy, was teasing him. What the hell?

He watched on, dumbfounded as the smirk turned into a full on smile.

"So, can I get kiss?"

"Wh-what!?" Okay, now his maybe-boyfriend was definitely teasing him.

"Onii-chan kiss?"

Kotarou's quiet question reminded them of their audience as Ryuuichi eeped, noticing he'd forgotten to keep Kotarou from hearing their conversation.

"No kiss!-" he shook his head furiously, only to see Hayato raise another eyebrow at him.

"Well, n-not now anyway." He added quickly before clamping a hand over his mouth, his eyes bugging out as he realized what he had just. Even Hayato looked surprised, before averting his eyes as they continued to walk down the driveway.

The only saving grace of that day was that Kotarou didn't seem to mind if he did understand what had just happened between his big brother and Taka's.

Ryuuichi heaved a sigh, knowing it was useless to calm his racing heart and fight down his blush.

Ryuuichi couldn't help but reminisce about the first time he'd met Hayato and the kids, the first time he'd ridden on the very same bike behind the baseball player. That night, everything had felt so wrong, worrying himself to death about Kotarou's health.

Now, looking back, he'd managed to make a friend and gained so much more than he could have ever hoped for since his world had been turned upside down almost a year to date.

He rode home on Hayato's bike that night, and if he held on a bit tighter than usual, resting his head on the expanse between the taller boy's shoulder blades, the dark-haired teen didn't say anything. Hayato's smile, mirrored on Ryuuichi's face, was the only indication that everything had changed despite tomorrow promising to be brighter than ever.

...Kotarou soo wanted them to kiss. I'm sure of it. :smug:

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